For their first home together, Chuck and Cyndra Wilkinson combined their tastes and found inspiration in Southern vacation spots.
A stay in the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Asheville, N.C., caused them to quiz the concierge about the paint colors (Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter and Heather Gray) to use in their 1930s “Hollywood Regency”-style guest room with mirrored furniture.
While honeymooning at The WaterColor Inn & Resort in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., they saw the work of Paige August Summers, an Alabama artist who later painted a portrait of the couple based on photographs and descriptions.
“Paige’s artwork jumped out at me first. It’s the perfect example of how Chuck and I brought our two styles together. He favors a more traditional approach. I like a more glamorous look,” Cyndra said. “He really appreciates how she managed to make the portrait look so much like us without ever meeting us. He thinks it has sophisticated, soothing colors.”
The artwork, earth tones (with paint colors such as sand dune) and interesting ideas – such as a fan made out of turbine vents and framed wallpaper — helped meld their tastes in their new home.
Snapshot
Residents: Chuck, Cyndra and Tripp Wilkinson, and their dogs, Chattahoochee and Chastain. Chuck is a technology executive at NCR Corp.; Cyndra owns Balloons By Design Atlanta
Location: Johns Creek
Size: About 3,500 square feet, five bedrooms, five baths
Year built and bought: 2010
Builder: Ashton Woods Homes
Architectural style: Traditional
Favorite architectural elements: 10-foot ceilings on first floor, abundant windows for viewing the garden
Renovations: Ira Lacey of Lacey Custom Carpentry created built-ins with serpentine marble countertops in the family room plus French doors and the transom in Chuck’s office. Homeowner Chuck Wilkinson also added crown molding throughout and in the kitchen, he installed tile backsplash.
Interior design style: Traditional
Decorator: Sherri Brown of Lawson Brown Creative Services
Favorite piece of furniture: The L-shaped sofa by Sherrill Furniture, in the living room. The couple decorated the home around the sofa, taking the pillows to the Ashton Woods Homes design center to choose paint colors and even placing the electrical outlets around the sofa.
Favorite outdoor features: The front, back and side yards consist of 300-plus plants representing 110 varieties selected by Chuck, a Georgia Master Gardener. Concrete Resurfacing Products in Suwanee also stamped the back porch, the walkways and the “skirt” of the driveway, which starts at the curb and moves up the driveway.
Resources: Stanley Furniture, Sherrill Furniture, Ethan Allen, Baker, Hekman, Macy’s, Furnitureland South, Flowery Branch Auction/Market, Pottery Barn Kids, IKEA, Hobby Lobby, Casablanca Fan Co., Samsung, Whirlpool, LG, Sony
Decor tip: Don’t be afraid to mix styles, textures and patterns.
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